Raven and the Moon
by Sally B. Mcgill
Summary: When Cassandra gets her first real mission outside the castle to stop the remaining members of the Separatists of Saporia, she encounters a fourteen-year-old victim by the name of Varian. She not only develops a soft spot for him but also helps him to gain his own life after so many years of being a slave to someone else's agendas.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I said I would make a Tangled fanfic with Varian and Cassandra getting together, and I'm so sorry it took so long. Now, I thought of this after the episode Under Raps, whereafter the whole thing with "Hubert," the guards and Cassandra got him to squeal about the hideout to capture the other members. Then I wondered about a scenario where the two would meet under extreme circumstances and fall in love with it, and this story was born. Please don't judge it too harshly and tell me what you think.**

 **Also, I know I said I would publish my Coco fanfics first, but I felt so inspired to write Tangled fanfictions featuring Varian, and I couldn't stop coming back to them. I figured I'd just work on this one, then take a break to finish my Coco stories, then come back to do a few Tangled fanfics along with a few other ideas I came up with including a new Miraculous and Storks stories. Will do my best to update my other fanfics as well.**

 **Putting it out there now, this story will be a bit darker than my other fanfics. There will be abuse and PTSD, as well as mention of death and kidnapping. If this is a trigger for you or too much, feel free to leave and read any of my other fanfictions. Just don't judge it too harshly, PLEASE.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Tangled series or the characters that come with it. This was made purely for entertainment. Also, Varian is still fourteen, and since the official age for Cassandra is never really revealed, I just made her seventeen. Enjoy!**

 **The Lady-in-Waiting and the Alchemist**

…

"Sorcerer? Oy, sorcerer!" Varian started as he heard his given name, frantically moving from the haystack that was his bed and headed towards the source of the voice. His heart sank when he saw it was not Master Hubert, but his much scarier brother, Master Alex. This could only mean…

Varian gulped as he forced himself to take steady breaths as he stared back at the man from inside the dungeon that acted as his room. It was moldy and cold, the air slightly hard to breathe in for too long and the place just about light enough to see what was right in front of you. There were constant sounds of squeaks and scurrying, clear evidence of a persisting rat problem, but was otherwise a peaceful place. Especially for the boy who had been living here for so long.

The young alchemist, Varian, was dressed in the only set of clothes he had, a green shirt and brown pants along with a coffee brown apron. His shaggy black hair with the strands of silver blue held his brown and gold goggles, and his black gloves were set down on his pillow. He was dressed in black, oversized rain boots with splatters of mud covering about every surface. In fact, every inch of the boy was covered in dirt, oil, and clay. And that wasn't including the scars that littered his body.

The man in front of him was no more significant than his brother, with messy brown hair and a suave mustache and a dark glower on his face. He was dressed in his white wool vest and tight black pants with brown shoes. He looked as though he meant business.

He was also one of the many people who called him a sorcerer despite him explaining that his expertise was in science, things that could be solved and made. They never really wanted to hear him talk much about what was right or wrong. He was just expected to be quiet and useful. And they were never subtle about what they'd do if he failed in that endeavor.

The alchemist did his best to calm himself. Master Hubert may have decided to stay away to celebrate with the rest of the members and may have sent his brother to attend to him in his stead. Perhaps Master Alex wanted to blow off some steam and saw him as the perfect way to do it. The members sometimes used him when they tried to relieve their stress, Master Hubert and Alex being the most frequent ones at that. The boy knew it was stupid to do so, but he still held on to the hope. Any options were better than the alternative.

"Up, boy!" He growled, twirling the keys to his cage in one hand while he studied his disheveled appearance with obvious disgust. "You've got a lot to answer for today."

Varian flinched as he heard that. It seemed his hope was in vain. Now he could barely stop himself from hyperventilating.

"You know why I'm down here, boy?" Varian almost groans out loud at the question. He hated when the members played games with him. More often than not, when they've come to visit him, they did this, prolonging the fear and anticipation he felt until he was desperate to just get things over with. He much preferred when their emotions got the best of him, and they just jumped right at him.

Taking a breath as he knew what answer was expected of him, Varian dully answered, "No, sir."

A barely concealed mocking laugh escaped from the man's mouth as he answered back. "My brother, Hubert, has been captured by the kingdom of Corona. Apparently the maiden he was supposed to use to get in somehow knew he was a fraud from the start. You want to guess how that came to be, Sorcerer?"

Varian silently shook his head, just ready for this torture he was being submitted to to end. Soon. He hadn't even had his breakfast yet, for crying out loud.

"A spy we posted in the kingdom came to report to us. He missed spelled 'bibliophile' on the letter. Apparently, whoever's job it was to look over the letter to make sure there were no mistakes like that, didn't do their job. Can you imagine that boy?"

Varian bowed his head and remained silent. He knew what was coming now. He also knew nothing he could say or do would stop it from happening, so he may as well stay silent and not make things worse for himself.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong, boy, but is it not your job to overlook our written work for mistakes?"

Varian said softly, "Yes."

"And you didn't, which got my brother, Hubert, captured, did it not?"

"Yes."

"So And here a nasty smile of dark relish spread across the man's face. "Do you know what happens now, Sorcerer?"

Varian reply was barely whispered, "I get punished."

Master Alex gave an exaggerated nod of approval, unlocking the cage door and moving to the side to let the alchemist out. "Good boy. How about we get right to it, shall we?"

Varian dipped his head lower as he left his room, not bothering to plead for mercy. It would be gruesome for him no matter what, but if he were quiet, the other man would eventually get bored and end things shortly. The boy had learned that years ago. Of course, that method couldn't be used every time, or the other members would catch on, but this one was going to be particularly dangerous. The alchemist knew it, so he may as well make things better for himself someway.

Master Alex marched him down the hall. Varian thanked God that no one was loitering around or waiting in the blacksmith forge. Once in a blue moon, when things were slow in planning, or the separatists were feeling particularly cruel, they gathered around to watch him punishment, goading and yelling suggestions. Those were the worse days.

When they finally made it to the forge, Varian watched with his poker face as the man casually moved towards the fireplace, grabbing the iron poker from above and twirling the tip of it in the fire. The boy, who realized exactly what was about to happen, could only stand there and wait for it. He knew better than to run.

"Shirt up, boy." The young alchemist steeled himself, forcing himself to be brave as he slipped off his apron and rolled up his shirt, showcasing a stomach adorned with long-faded scars and burns that lead all the way up to his neck and down below his pants. Alex gave a little hum of appreciation.

"Quite a sight, Sorcerer. Any last plead?" The boy was quiet, refusing to show weakness and give the man any other excuse to hurt him. There was a deep groan with hints of disappointment. "Very well." And then he struck.

And then Varian knew nothing but piping-hot pain.

…

"A secret mission? What kind of mission?" Rapunzel asked as she watched her black-haired friend rifle through her weapons closet. The three friends were in Cassandra's room, the princess on her bed, Eugene standing next to her and the lady-in-waiting in front of them, dressed in her outing outfit of a long grayish-brown shirt, black gloves with a dark brown belt and purse, with brown boots and red-and-dark brown leggings.

Cassandra sighed as she studied a small dagger for a moment before setting it back in its place. "Well, remember 'Andrew'?"

"How could any of us forget? He was the second-handsomest guy who turned out to be a spy set on destroying Corona by stealing the book of secrets." Eugene answered dryly from his position beside his blonde girlfriend. The captain's daughter gave a silent eye roll before she spoke up again. "Yeah, him. Well, after a few private sessions from my father and the other members of the royal guard, he finally gave up the hideout for the Separatists. We're heading out as soon as possible, and since I did such a good job taking down Hubert—"

"With our help," Eugene interjected loudly but was promptly ignored.

"Both the king and my father have agreed that I should help with the raid and capture of the enemy." Cassandra finished, grabbing a longsword from her collection before closing the door to her weapons, swinging it in a testing sort of way. "They felt I've more than earned the honor."

"And I'm happy for you, Cass, but isn't it dangerous. You almost lost against Hubert, and you could be up against multiple guys with his exact skill set. I just don't want you to get hurt."

The lady-in-waiting sighed, knowing her female friend was coming from a place of caring and was in no way trying to insult her skills as a fighter. "Raps, I did defeat Hubert though. And it won't just be me out there, you know, I'll have a whole army of specially trained soldiers to back me up should I need it. I'll be fine."

The black-haired girl shot a look at Eugene, demanding help to calm the blonde down. The man sighed before he placed a comforting hand on Rapunzel's shoulder, a gentle smile on his face when his girlfriend turned to face him. "Cassandra's been training for a long time, Blondie. She's taken down lots of villains in the kingdom and is one of the best warriors in the castle. She'll be more than able to handle any of the separatists."

Cassandra could see Rapunzel was still biting her lips with anxiety evident on her face. The girl moved forward to sit on the bed next to her. "Rapunzel, everything will be okay. I'll even bring back a souvenir for you. That's how confident I am that things will turn out wonderfully."

The blonde nodded down at her lap, frowning as she replied, "I trust you, Cassandra and believe in you more than anyone. But I just have a bad feeling that something's going to happen. Something that could doom all of us."

Her boyfriend laughed from behind her, attracting the two girls' attention. "I doubt things are that ominous, Blondie, even if Cassandra is involved. What's the worse that could happen?"

…

When Varian came to, he was laying on his haystack on his back, looking at the ceiling in the little light that was showing. Even without moving he could feel his stomach area aching like someone had lit a fire on it. There would undoubtedly be another set of burns to join the others.

He had passed out from the pain, it would seem. That didn't often happen, his body giving him brief relief from the torture. The boy supposed he should be grateful he wasn't awake when Alex had put the other marks on his chest. He wasn't sure even his tolerance of pain would have withstood all that in one sitting.

The alchemist knew even with his recent injury he would be expected to be just as effective as he usually is at the work he was given. Pain at this point was a regular part of his life, so he had learned a long time ago to just work through the pain. It all blurred away when he worked like it was a distant memory.

Even with what Varian was forced to do with his intelligence and creativity, he still enjoyed using his time inventing and making new elements to travel somewhere else. Somewhere he was happy and not expecting pain to come any moment. A place he could call home and be surrounded by people who cared about him and wanted him safe.

But the boy knew thoughts like that were dangerous. They filled him with hope and made it easier for him to live through each day, but it also made him act the way he wasn't supposed to. He had longed surpassed his annoying quirks and any traits that annoyed the members, remolding himself into a mostly silent and obedient boy who did whatever was asked of him, whether it was making new weapons or creating new elements and formulas to help the separatists.

It made him downright miserable to do so, but it was his only way to survive. Varian had to stay firm in thinking he may get out of here someday. He loyalty wasn't with the organization, so if he ever managed to escape, he'd find his own home and live the rest of his days relaxing and making things for himself. It would be wonderful.

"Oy, boy. Up and at 'em!" Varian flinched as he heard someone knocking harshly at the bars with a metal pipe. The teen moved off the bed as quickly as he could, making his way to the door just as his assigned member for the day opened the door. This time it was Master Damascus, it seemed. "Time to get to work."

The young alchemist sighed to himself as he shuffled after the man to the forge. Just like his routine dictated.

…

Cassandra was currently hiding in the bushes with the rest of the squadron, keeping a solid eye on the building that was supposed to house the Separatists of Saporia. It hadn't taken long to get there, just an hour and a half of riding their houses. They had quickly made it before noon had come.

The building was very nice looking, about three stories of stone bricks stacked together to make an elaborate castle. There were ivy vines around the sides of the structure, and the way the walls were looking made it seem ancient and run down. The perfect hideout for a group that wanted to be near Corona remain secretive and unnoticeable and also be far enough away from the kingdom to avoid any spies or people who try to follow them.

"Are we sure this Is the right place? Wouldn't do us any good to run straight into a trap." Stan questioned nervously from his place by Cassandra. Her father and captain of the guards replied, "Don't worry. We made sure the information Hubert gave us was accurate. This is the hideout. Prepare yourselves, we charge in three minutes."

His daughter made sure her sword was at the ready as her friend, Owl appeared from his trip around the place. Holding her arm up for him to rest on, Cassandra declared, "There aren't a lot of security, only two grunts we should be able to take down quietly. Most of the members are inside, and there are about a dozen escape routes around should they ever be invaded. Some will be able to run when we attack, but we can catch at least half if we plan carefully."

The captain nodded at the girl warrior, "Good job, Cassandra. Alright, Pete and Stan, take about ten men to deal with the guards and prevent some members from escaping. Everyone else, as soon as we get the signal, we'll move inside and catch these scums by surprise."

As the knights moved to do there assigned a job, Cassandra took a deep breath as she held her sword up at the ready. This was her first real mission with both her dad and the king's blessings. It could end badly in so many ways. But, like she had told Rapunzel, she knew she could do this. They would cripple the organization set on destroying Corona and then hunt down the remaining members until they were all captured and imprisoned for their crimes. There was no doubt in her mind.

Yet she also could shake the feeling that something was going to happen like the blonde princess had said. Perhaps it was pre-mission jitters, but the girl had a feeling this job was going to end in a way they all didn't expect. Call it a gut instinct, but the lady-in-waiting would not let any surprises stop her from succeeding now.

"Okay!" her father suddenly shouted, startling her from her thought. "That's the signal from Stan. Let's move everyone!"

Cassandra pushed her worries to the side, creeping forward with the other guards and ready for anything that may come their way.

…

Varian didn't know what was happening. One moment he was working quietly in the forge, constructing new weapons for a possible prison break, the next, there was lots of shouting and running all around him. He thought he smelled smoke and could hear the sound of swords clashing from all around him.

As he pressed himself against the wall that was shrouded in shadows, he could see men coming to the workshop, yelling and arguing.

"They found us! How can Hubert even—"

"The most useful of us should be saved. It's the only way our organization can endure until we complete our mission."

"Our weapon must be salvaged. As well as any other useful resources. Anything that will help us survive."

"What of the boy?" The alchemist started as they started talking about him. "You know we can't let Corona have him."

"But we can't go looking for him now! We must flee. Besides, his usefulness as our sorcerer can be easily replaceable."

"It's not just the sorcery, Tomas. He's—" But the person speaking was cut off abruptly. "We can't afford to take him now. We have many members of our organization and numerous spies in Corona. When the time comes, we will have him again. For now, let the kingdom take him. We have much more significant concerns." And then they were gone, disappearing into the secret passageway behind the carpet.

Varian, not sure what that conversation was meant to tell him or if the people attacking were friendly or even more vicious brutes than the separatist, decided he may as way use this chance to escape like he had always dreamt he would. Moving carefully through the shadows, he made his way down the hall, quietly creeping past battles and the fallen bodies of the members. The alchemist took note of the fact that the people attacking the separatist were dressed in gold armor with helmets and white pants.

He had almost made it to the front door. He could just taste the free air and the grass beneath his fingers. Just as he sneaked away from the shadows and to the entrance, he felt a firm kick in his stomach.

Varian felt his back hit the wall roughly, fearing it was a separatist here to take him away with him or an enemy ready to kill him just for being in the same place as the other members here. What he hadn't expected at all was to see the gorgeous black eyes that were staring down at him with a sword pointed at his chest.

…

As soon as they had made it inside, her father had assigned her to guard the entrance. "You never know with idiots like these. Someone may try to escape through here, thinking it's empty of any knights. I'm trusting you with this, Cassandra, don't let me down."

So far, there had been no action near here. It seems every member was smart enough to know the front door was a no go. So the lady-in-waiting was stuck at her post, growing more and more irritated as the fights around her died down.

She thought she had earned her place in this fight, showing how masterful she was at taking down opponents. And yet still, she was sidelined, forced to watch the action from afar. How could her father always treat her like this, even knowing what she can do? Did he really consider her that incompetent?

Just as Cassandra was about to throw her hands up and go look for a fight, she caught a glance at a golden shine in the shadows. Turning to face the walls, she could see someone shuffling to the door, their movements hasty and eager. The girl snorted to herself at the person's stupidity. Guess her dad wasn't just trying to keep her from the action, but still, it was only one guy for her to take down. She seriously doubted anyone else would make such an erroneous mistake. Getting ready, the knight watched until the figure made a move to the door and then pounced, kicking the person in the stomach hard enough that they crashed into the wall.

Taking her sword out of its sheath, Cassandra moved till she was in front of the stranger, holding her weapon to his chest and to find herself making eye contact with… a kid?

The lady-in-waiting could only blink down at the boy staring up at her, hyperventilating it would seem. He was dressed similarly to Xavier, as a blacksmith just he had weird goggles in his black hair with blue streaks. He looked younger than her, maybe twelve or thirteen, and looking very terrified at being caught sneaking out.

Now Cassandra knew she was infamous for her lack of compassion and her somewhat aggressive attitude, but her heart wasn't made of stone. Separatists member or not, she couldn't in good conscience keep manhandling the kid.

Sighing, the girl sheathed her sword and knelt down till she was face-to-face with the boy, speaking in a soothing voice she generally reserved for Raps, Owl and her fellow lady-in-waiting, Freidborg. "Hey, it's okay, kid. I won't hurt you, I swear."

It took a few moments, but eventually, the kid calmed down after not getting attacked again. Though he still kept a wary eye in her direction, watching for any sudden movements. "Look, I'm from the kingdom of Corona. My name's Cassandra. Who are you?"

The boy was silent as he processed her words before he responded quietly. "They called me boy or sorcerer, but my name is Varian. They… I made weapons and inventions for them."

The lady-in-waiting narrowed her eyes at that. "Voluntarily?" From the way the kid looked to stare at the ground and clenched his fists, Cassandra could guess the answer.

But this was surprising news. If this kid, Varian, was being truthful, he was the brains of the operation they had here, even if he was being forced against his will. By taking him now, they would be breaking one of the most reliable links in the chain, and allow the separatists no room to retaliate effectively. It was a win if the girl had ever seen it.

Holding her hand out, she said firmly, "I'm heading back to my kingdom once we're done capturing any of the members still loitering around. You can come back with me or take your chances in the wilderness with no supplies or help. Which is it, kid?"

The kid was tilting his head at her, seeming confused at being given a choice in the matter. Cassandra could only imagine how after so many years of basically being a slave in every sense of the way how foreign having the freedom to choose would be. He studied her eyes and her gloved hand for a few minutes, clear debate in his eyes. Finally, with bated breath, he put his own gloved hand in her and let himself be pulled up.

"Good," The warrior simply said, heading towards the entrance at a steady pace while dragging Varian after her. "Let's get going. It's not safe here right now."

…

 **So, how was it? I hope the abuse and sheltered life Varian was living was accurate. Was Varian and Casandra's meeting okay? Please tell me what you thought about it, I really want to know. And I can't wait to see what role Varian will play in the Tangled the Series season finale.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. The Outside and Verdicts

 **A/N: Well, I'm finally getting around to updating my stories, so please be on the lookout. I apologize for taking so long, things are just so stressful and I'm waiting for something that has yet to arrive. I thank everyone who has favorited, followed and reviewed and hope you enjoy this second chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Tangled or Tangled the Series characters.**

…

Whenever Cassandra listened to Rapunzel recount the first time she had ever ventured outside her tower and the adventure she had after, there was always this particular expression on her face. It was wide-eyed and sparkling, not necessarily happy, but full of wonder and disbelief at the reality around her. It was as though, growing up, she had always assumed things like "the outside" and "sunshine and freedom" were just a myth, and discovering it to be true was abolishing years of thinking otherwise.

Cassandra had never really understood that expression, how someone could doubt something that was a fact for everyone else. But now, watching Varian look around at the environment, she could see first-hand what Rapunzel had experienced all those months ago. The kid was staring up at the sun as though it was a mythical creature, looking down at the grass as if it was treasure dug from the bottom of the ocean. Even the few butterflies and dragonflies fluttering about caught his attention, like he was a toddler taking a walk in his backyard. And it would have been amusing for Cassandra if she wasn't distracted by his appalling profile.

Now that they were out of the dark hideout and out in the bright and shining sunlight, she could see exactly how much the separatists mistreated him. The clothes he was wearing were more rags than actual outfits, full of rips and dirt, looking very much like they had not been washed since the day they were given to this boy. Maybe not even before that.

While his "clothing" covered most of his skin, the few parts that were exposed were loitered with burns and faint scars. His hair looked like it was in need of a good wash and his face was smudged with dirt and ash. Only the goggles on his head looked to be in perfect condition, as shiny and functional as anything Cassandra had seen. It was easy to deduce that the separatists didn't provide him with it.

Which begged the question: Who did? Did Varian have a family? Was he an orphan, found and taken in by the members of the Separatists of Saporia? Or was he like Rapunzel, snatched away from people who loved him because he was of used to his kidnappers? What was his life like before the separatists? Did he ever have a life before he was a slave?

"Uh… Cassandra?"

She was alerted out of her musing by Varian's hesitant voice. "Yeah, kid?"

"What's… where am I going after this?" The question was asked quietly, saturated with fear and just a hint of cautious determination to know his fate. The lady-in-waiting thought that through before replying, "Probably back to Corona. We'll have some questions and then we'll find a home for you until we know where you come from." There, that seemed like a safe and somewhat comforting answer. Because it wouldn't relieve the kid of any of the fear and anxiety he had if she was clueless too.

On the other hand, she was probably providing him with false hope and she didn't want to do that either. But there wasn't much assurance she could give him, seeing as she couldn't see what other options Varian had. He had been essentially held against his will and forced to work with a group out to destroy Corona. While that technically made him an enemy, it was plain to see it hadn't been by choice. She was sure the king would be generous for that reason alone.

The boy nodded, staring at some flowers nearby with a slightly hard look on his face. "I don't really remember my life before living here. I only really remember that I was happy." His voice was soft now, wistful.

Before Cassandra could think of a reply for that, Varian suddenly rushing behind her, looking scared as he cowered against her back with his eyes closed. "Varian, what—", she attempted to ask, and then she heard a commotion coming from the hideout. She turned, sword already drawn to see her father and the rest of the royal guards venturing towards her, a group of hooded and handcuffed men in a group behind them.

"Cassandra, did you see any other members? We rounded up everyone we could find and —" Then her father stopped talking as he finally noticed the dirty and scarred kid cowering behind her.

"Who is that?" Stan asked, him and the other guards cramming their necks to see behind her. Cassandra turned to look at Varian, who was watching the group with a carefully stoic frown on his face, but the trembling in his arms against her back told the truth of his emotions right then. Sighing under her breath, she turned back to face the guards.

"This is Varian. I found him trying to escape. From what I've learned from him, he was taken from his home and forced to work with the Separatists. I was just asking him about his exact work with them when you all showed up." There, a diplomatic and stern statement that alerted them of the circumstances Varian was in and that he certainly wasn't the enemy.

"How are you sure he's not working with them?" her dad growled, taking a menacing step forward. She felt the flinch the boy behind her gave and the way his hands started shaking even more. And while she understood that her father was captain of the guards and had to take precautions when dealing with suspicious strangers, but this was just a kid. A clearly traumatized kid.

"One look at him told me so. Besides, he told me himself, and since he's still here and hasn't tried to make a run for it, I figured he deserves the benefit of doubt for now." The handmaiden answered evenly.

After a few moments to think on her words, he nodded, putting his weapon away and motioning the two of them forward. Cassandra turned to Varian, placing a sturdy but hopefully comforting hand on the boy's shoulders and steering him ahead of her. She could tell the guards could see what she had seen when she saw the assortment of sympathetic looks that appeared on their faces. Even her father softened slightly when he got a good look at the obvious abuse.

While the rest of the prisoners was escorted to the cart, Cassandra led Varian to her horse, Fidella. "Here, you can take a ride with me." She was just about to introduce them when the kid jerked back, looking at the creature with fear in his eyes. "W—What is that?"

"Uh, a horse. Have you not—" Cassandra started with disbelief in his voice before she stopped, and then continued with understanding in his tone, "Have you not seen a horse before?"

She watched as the kid shook his head, "I didn't really see a lot. I just made inventions and stayed in my room until they wanted me."

A little offbeat but trying to generate a gentler tactic here, the lady-in-waiting took the boy's hand, slowly pulling him forward as she said, "Well don't worry. Fidella may look intimidating, but she's quiet and much smarter than most people I know. You're in safe hands with her." Varian didn't seem all that convinced, but he was willing to take her word for it.

She helped him onto the saddle, instructing him on how he should sit without gaining bruises before she jumped up to be in front of him, grabbing the saddle and trekking forward to where the other guards were, all of them taking seats while her dad indicated Max to get ready to go. "Just hold tight to me and you shouldn't have to worry about falling down or anything." She tried to joke to the young man. Which, in hindsight, was probably not the best way to go about it since after that he crushed himself to her back and kept his eyes closed, all the way back to Corona.

…

"—so I dropped him off to our apothecary to get looked over and treated while my dad are putting all the separatist in the dungeon for the time being," Cassandra finished while her audience of two looked on with somber eagerness and mild interest. They were in Rapunzel's room now, Cassandra back in her lady-in-waiting clothes as she had spent about half an hour explaining her trip after the ten minutes it took to get dressed.

"Wow," the blonde princess expressed, looking thoughtful as she took a moment to stare out the window. "I mean, I was kept locked up most of my life, but I at least got to see the outside and didn't know any better. I mean, imagine having a good life and being taken away from it."

"Yeah, sounds pretty bad. And we're sure he's not one of those guys working to destroy the kingdom?" her boyfriend asked aloud.

"We're not going to jump to that conclusion just yet. After he's gotten some medical attention, Stan will take him to see the King and Queen. They'll witness as my father interrogates him and that will determine if he can be trusted and allowed to remain in the castle."

"Wait, in the castle? Why?" Eugene asked.

Cassandra sighed impatiently, "Because, since the royal guards found him, he's therefore the responsibility of the Corona's royalty. And, if he was abducted because he was of use to the separatists, it's better we keep him safe here, since it's been confirmed that some of them escaped. Besides, I don't quite think he's ready for the world just yet. I mean, he didn't even know what a horse was."

When he eventually stopped closing his eyes like his life depended on it, Varian had look at everything around him with a mixture of excitement and fear. The trees, the people, the shops. He looked at everything that came into his sight simultaneously as though they might be the best thing he's ever seen and as though they would jump on him and attack.

"That poor boy. I mean, Gothel was a liar and selfish, but she never hurt me physically. I mean, the way you described his injuries and scars… what cruel people would do that to someone?" the princess questioned incredulously, unable to fathom that part of her friend's story.

Cassandra walked forward to place a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Hey, he's okay now. Enemy or not, we won't let him be treated like that anymore by anyone. And, your parents are the kindest people I know. I'm sure they find a place for him here."

Just then, two unfamiliar guards walked into the room, professional poker faces at the ready. "His Royal Majesty has requested your presence, Cassandra."

Sharing a confused look with her to friend, the lady-in-waiting made her way to the throne room as quickly as she could. When she entered and stood in the presence of the monarch, she curtsied, subtly looking around to see if anyone else was in the room. Besides her, the king, her father and the guards that had fetched her, there was no one else there.

She made sure to pay attention once she realized the king was speaking, "Cassandra, I think it goes without saying that you have done this kingdom a great service as of late. I wanted to personally thank you for all the work you've done in dismantling the Separatists of Saporia."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I was honored to do it." Besides her father, the king was someone whom she looked up to the most. Despite ruling over the people, he never abused his high position of authority and was always so patient and compassionate to his people. Albeit, he was a little harsh when it came to criminals, but it wasn't anything they didn't deserve for being willing to break the laws of Corona.

"Now, the royal guards have informed me of your encounter with the young man, Varian. I've also been told that you are under the impression that his stay was involuntary and abusive."

"Yes. I've seen all the scars and burns on parts of his skin and the way the outside world seemed virtually unknown to him made it clear. From what I gathered, Varian was taken from him home once someone realized his usefulness. He was clearly the intelligence they forced to do their dirty work within the organization."

"I see," the king replied, and Cassandra was almost surprised that he appeared to be fighting to contain a negative emotion. Almost, but not quite, because it was not lost on the handmaiden that this was almost exactly what Rapunzel had gone through with Mother Gothel. In fact, it may be even worse for Varian, since he was aware he was happy once, in another life many years ago. Now, he was left with the physical and emotional scars he could never be rid of.

"I've met Varian and have almost come to a decision concerning him. Your father and I have discussed thing, but I would like your opinion on something first: do you believe Varian can be trusted?"

The brown-haired woman was silent for a moment, quietly mulling over the understandable inquiry. Hubert had shown himself to be a deceitful and smooth-talking con man. The Separatists were just as cruel, if the state of Varian was anything to go by. Could Varian be playing them now? Was that story told inside the hideout and outside just a way to leave them vulnerable?

Shaking her head and rising up to meet the king's gaze, she firmly answered, "In my humble opinion, I believe that Varian is telling the truth. And I believe we should do all we can for him, not just gather information about the separatists."

King Fredrick and her father exchanged a nod before they turned to her, "If you are serious in your assessment, the king has deemed Varian your responsibility."

She almost stopped breathing, "Wait, what?!"

"As you were the one who found him and have been the only person he's felt somewhat comfortable talking to, we feel it would be best that he has a companion. Of course, your duty would also be to keep an eye on him and ensure he truly isn't on the separatists' side. Until we find his parents and get him reentered into society."

"I—" She wanted to argue back. She wanted so badly to list all the reasons why this verdict was wrong, why it was not an option. She wanted to state that it was stupid, demoting her to babysitter when she had proven herself worthy of being a warrior for the kingdom, a knight. She almost wanted to question if this was a punishment for listening to some little brat's story. But, when she started to speak, she noticed the warning on her father's face and she knew she shouldn't make her argument to the king. And she definitely knew she couldn't deem his decision stupid. So instead she bowed her head and said, while struggling not to chock on every word, "Yes, Your Highness. It would be my pleasure."

…

"Why am I being put through this?" Cassandra asked as soon as they made it to the guards' quarter. She held her tongue while her father talked to every guard who had gone on the trip to stop the separatists, making sure the prisoners were in the dungeon and that plans were being made to track down the ones that had escaped. But that only allowed her to stew more in the humiliation and anger she was feeling. It was all she could do not to yell when she was finally able to question her father.

"This isn't a sentence, Cassandra," the captain said patiently, looking all to used to dealing with her difficult nature, to his daughter's annoyance, "We talked to the boy, and he looked as though he would pass out from fear. He's clearly traumatized and being in an unknown situation could affect even the bravest souls. The little we've gotten from him could be a start but we need someone whom he's willing to talk to. And you admitted that he was willing to speak to you. We just need you to build on that."

"Look, I understand this kid has suffered, and I get trying to leave him high and dry is somewhat mean, but I have my own life, you know. Cleaning the palace, helping the princess, training so I can be a guard. I don't have time to let something or someone step on my coattails. I can't do this."

"Cassandra, yes, you can. Varian is clearly intelligent and he could even help you complete your duties. Beside, Freidborg is willing to help you pickup any slack should your time with Varian get in the way. We just need someone to be there for him, help him adjust. It's no different than when you guided the princess when she first got here."

She had no argument for that.

"Just be yourself. And think about how it was for Rapunzel and you'll be fine. It only has to be temporary, and then you can go back to your life."

…

She was still very much against this. But, she was also aware she was probably the only one who could do it. So, she took a breath and made her way into the room the doctor was checking out Varian in. The boy was dressed back in the clothes similar to the ones he was originally found in, albeit much cleaner and proper. The boy himself looked much better, all the dirt and grime had been scrubbed off, his hair better groomed, and his goggles back in place.

The doctor had been checking his eyesight when she had walked in, getting the two's attention. She tossed a small smile Varian's way, and while he didn't smile back, he face did soften just a bit.

"How are things? Is he okay?" she asked the doctor. He pursed his lips in contemplation, taking her to the side a bit out of the kid's hearing range. "He has many bruises and wounds on his body. Whomever was meant to be taking care of this boy was very callous with his wellbeing. He is also very wary and scared. If you must deal with him, do your best to be kind and gentle. He's been through a lot, none good, so try to reintroduce him to the positive."

He left after he gave his assessment, leaving the lady-in-waiting with the kid she had rescued. Cassandra felt a little out of her depth, dealing with the little boy. But, she tried to take her father and the doctor's advice and channel the friendly and nurturing side that came out around Rapunzel and sometimes her other friends.

She went to stand in front of the boy, giving a small but genuine smile as she said, "Come on, kid. Let me show you around."

…

 **Okay, here's chapter 2. Hope it was worth the wait. Feel free to add request or follow, favorite and review about it.**

 **Also, be sure to check out my other stories and I will do my best to update faster.**


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